Destiny's Crucible
by Gehenna79
Summary: Sequel to The Humbling River. The Autobots have found a place in the galaxy, but the Reapers are about to invade, and an old enemy returns with a dastardly new plot. Will the Autobots be able to stop him and save the galaxy with the help of Commander Shepard, Commander Mason, and Admiral Hackett?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: First off I'd like to thank everybody who read the first part of this Fic, _The Humbling River._ Without your reading, I probably wouldn't have had the motivation to continue writing it. Second off, I decided to make this a three part trilogy, with the events of this book extending from before Mass Effect 3, up to the War Summit between the Salarians, Turians and Krogan. The Third part will probably tie all the events together nicely. I'm excited to begin this new story, and hope to hear what you guys have to say about this. As before, I'd like to start this fic with a quote._

**"Bran thought about it. 'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?'  
'That is the only time a man can be brave,' his father told him."**

_- George R.R. Martin, _A Game of Thrones.

* * *

**Transformers and Mass Effect: Destiny's Crucible**

Prologue Part 1:

_My name is Optimus Prime and I record this for the generations of Autobots yet left to come._

_Things have changed for our species, in some ways, for the better. As our world destroyed itself in the wake of the Dark Energon crisis, the planet shut itself down for the next hundred thousand years, and so we were forced to flee from our homeworld in a blind Space Bridge jump. Both our ship and the ship of our enemy, the Decepticons, landed on a desert world, but many of the combatants of both ships were ejected from the ship. It was because of the sustained damage to the ships that many of the passenngers were ejected into open space. The only autobots left on the ship that I could find alive were Perceptor and Ironhide, two long time allies in the war._

_It was not long before we found the Decepticon remnants, led by Starscream. But we were also discovered by a race of beings known as humans. The Decepticons tried to deceive them, to try and have them fight on their side against me and my brothers, but their stupidity finally caught up with them, and the humans sided with us. We decided that in exhange for safety and passage from the desert world, we would give them our coveted technology. With the war over, and Cybertron dead, we needed to find our place in a new galaxy. This was the best way, for we learned that a threat was looming over the heads of our allies, but I will explain that more later._

_At first, they did not trust us, and how could they? But we gained their trust through cooperation, which allowed us to make a trade. It was then they explained to us that they were under threat of invasion by a much more technologically advanced species , beings they called the Reapers, and it would not be much longer before this invasion would begin. I was shown footage of a great battle , and was given proof that showed that they spoke the truth. They then explained that they wanted the key to unlocking space travel that did not require the Mass Relays, which were tools of the Reapers. Perceptor and Shockwave got to work on creating a working one for the humans. I do not trust Shockwave, but I have known him to be a creature of logic. He is intrigued by the humans, and has the same motives as us, to create a new home for our race. He has no reason to harm the humans, and would die before he could. So in exchange for their work, we asked that the Humans help us in wiping out the last Decepticon resistance, and give us a planet for us to settle once the Reaper War was over. They agreed to our price._

_Six months has passed since then, and we have found some of our teammates across the stars. I fear though that some were sent to uncharted worlds, and will never be found, left to go insane from isolation, or eventually starve from lack of Energon. We learned that the only vehicles that can travel the galaxy are vehicles that use Mass Effect Drives, a technology that we can adapt, but there is nothing we can transform ourselves into that is our size. In time, we will be able to map the galaxy and create ships of our own, to break free of our reliance. For now though, we travel in human ships. However..._

_Metroplex, the titanic Autobot warrior, arrived in the form of a Cybertronian vessel, bearing reinforcements. They appeared on the edges of the galaxy and were attacked by Batarian pirates. Their hailing signals were picked up by an Alliance Corsair in the area. The Alliance raced to find them before anyone else would be able to tell of what they saw, and it was there I was reunited with twelve Autobots, plus Metroplex, lead by Ultra Magnus, my second in command._

_Metroplex was large enough that the Alliance allowed us to scan one of their dreadnoughts, as long as Metroplex served for them. However, it also became our base of operations under the name SSV _Mckinley_. On a planet in the Traverse known as Virmire, a base was established where we would imprison any of the Decepticons that were found. As I write this, so far our war has been secret, but I fear the rest of the galaxy will soon become aware of it. I have tracked a Decepticon onto a world named Thessia, a planet not owned by the Alliance. The Alliance is playing a dangerous game, for the rest of the Galaxy does not know of our existence, and does not have access to our technology. I fear that there will be conflict if our conflict becomes public, but there is little I can do. I will continue to do my best for now._

_In the mean-time, a prototype Space bridge has been built by Perceptor and Shockwave on Earth, the home planet of the Alliance. Now they build an even bigger one linking with a newly discovered world near the Galactic core called Eden. They believe it will be used as a way to evacuate refugees and troops when the Reapers attack, and hopefully they will be able to apply it to new ships, ships that we will be able to take the formof, allowing us more freedom of movement. At the same time, I have not found any evidence that Megatron still lives. Maybe he does still, but on some uncharted world, to be exiled until he starves to death of lack of energon. Or maybe he truly is dead, and is floating in the dark recesses of space. It is a possibility, but for now, I will keep my guard up._

_This is Optimus Prime, calling all Autobots scattered among the stars. _

_Make your way to Virmire._

_This galaxy is our home now._


	2. Chapter 2

**Destiny's Crucible**

**Prologue Part 2:**

**45,000 Years Ago: On the Planet Rakhana**

* * *

A lone Drell warrior, bold and curious, walked up the side of a rocky hill.

His skin was the color of olive, his eyes shone like gold, and his lips were a deep red like a rose. His body was thin, and he wore nothing save a simple loin cloth around his waste. The weather was warm, and all around him the Drell was surrounded by great Volcanos that rose out of the yellow-orange desert. Smoke poured out of them, thick and gray , pumping into the skies above. The Drell paid no concern to this though, as he walked up the hill.

As he came up to the top of the hill, the Drell got on his knees and then laid down on the ground. He tried to ignore the discomfort of laying on rocks, and slowly crawled forward.

The Drell was spying.

Before him he could see giants.

Great Steel Giants, many feet high. The color of gray steel, of many different shapes. There were some that appeared to have multi-faceted chins, other with more blocky heads and bodies, and some that looked like tremendous orbs, with small spindly legs underneath. All of them were lifting pieces of metal, and moving them towards a central structure.

It was a tower, and it was growing with each day. Part of it scared the Drell warrior but it also intrigued him as well. Towards the top of the base of the tower, there stood a lone Steel giant. He held a staff in his hand and was pointing and commanding and instructing his people in the construction of this tower. The tower was not very wide, more of like a thin spire, with purple lights glowing around its circular base.

The Drell memorized everything he saw.

Then he got up to leave.

But, then as he turned , he saw before him a Steel Giant.

The Drell soiled himself in fear. And then the Steel Giant struck him.

The Drell was shattered.

And the Steel Giants continued their work.


	3. Chapter 3

**Destiny's Crucible**

**I.**

* * *

Mason took a long gaze through the center of his thermal binoculars to take a view of the construction site. It was midnight on Thessia, the sky a dark purple with small gleaming stars pockmarking the sky. Pollution was kept at a minimum on this world, a commendable achievement that reflected in the planet's natural beauty. But Mason was not so much interested in Thessia's natural beauty as he was the unnatural denizen that had taken up residence in this Prothean dig site; a Decepticon, a nasty one according to Optimus, one called Bonecrusher.

"You see that," said Mason aside to his partner, Mary Prescott, a woman with a long blonde ponytail and eyes like still pools of water, tonight obscured by a purple optical visor. Mason passed his binoculars to the woman and said, "Energon reading concentrated around that truck thing. That's him."

It was similar to a construction vehicle, a squat, box like vehicle the color of faded green with bars of yellow running diagonally across the left and right sides of the vehicle, a clear window above the hood. Nothing out of the ordinary there, other than the fact that Mason's binoculars turned it a blaze orange on the HUD. The Dig site was abandoned right now, a maze of of tall drilling materials and unoccupied trucks, with a large concrete wall placed around the perimeter to keep onlookers at a minimum.

"Looks like we found this Bonecrusher," said Mary, "Shall we move to intercept?"

Mason put an finger to his communicator and said, "Ironhide, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear Commander Mason," responded Ironhide gruffly. Ironhide was not too fond of being put under the command of what he considered "insects" but he did what Optimus told him too, which was the important thing. Besides, he was willing to work with the N7 as long they had the same goals.

"Move into the Digsite, quietly though, we're going to try and EMP him first before we restrain the bastard."

"Got it."

"Cliffjumper, Wipeout, follow in on the flanks."

"Got it boss," responded Cliffjumper.

"On my way," responded Wipeout.

Mason's HUD informed him that Ironhide had entered through the central entrance. So far, so good. The Asari guards that had been posted outside the Digsite had been put down with tranquilizer rounds from Prescott's sniper rifle, and had been hidden in a closet until they would recover. This allowed Ironhide to go in unmolested , slowly traversing through the tight quarters of the concrete outposts in his Mako form. The Mako was just the right size for the Bulky Autobot and it was a ground vehicle that had good weaponry on it, another plus for Ironhide.

As for the other two, the small red autobot known as Cliffjumper had kept to his Cybertronian form, a small, red , armor plated support LAV, not having found a vehicle of suitable size to transform into. However he still had a bit of punch to him, coupled with his pugnacious attitude. Lastly, there was Wipeout, who took the form of a Blue Hover car, and was moving on the right flank, his hood lights flashing in Mason's vision.

"Kill the lights, Wipeout," said Mason.

"Roger that, sorry," the Autobot's voice had a strange accent to it, posh in style.

"Mason," said Harper over the Comm, "Me and Bentley are in position, you ready for this shit, brother?"

"I'm ready, Prescott stay here and provide support, I'm going in to try and EMP as planned. Harper, move around the right flank and set up your LMG. Bentley, cover Harper."

"Roger that, Commander," they all said in unison.

Mason rappelled down from the high vantage point he was on, an abandoned office building that was going to be demolished eventually. He landed on the ground stylishly , boots thudding in the soft loam, and he raised his Argus Assault Rifle, scanned the area and brought it back down, making a run towards a sewage tunnel that led into the dig site.

A slow moving stream of tepid water lay underneath, and he made his way under the compound's concrete wall with ease. He reached a point at which he took out a small cutting laser and cut a whole in the roof above him, making an impromptu breach point, as orange sparks fell beneath his feet. The top of the metal roof cut down and he exited, coming up into an abandoned shack.

So far Bonecrusher had not seen them; everything was going as planned.

Mason crouched low, trying to be as silent as possible, making his way towards the Decepticon. He had no clear visual of Harper but he assumed he was there. Harper had never let him down before. Finally Mason reached a vantage point and took cover behind a road block, leaning to take a peek of the target.

"Time to test this shit out," muttered Mason to himself, attaching the EMP grenade launcher to the bottom of his Argus. If all went well, he would be able to deactivate the Decepticon from range.

It snapped on tightly, and Mason took the safety off, putting an EMP grenade at the top of the barrel. It pulsed with a radiant blue and purple energy and Mason grinned at it. The EMP grenade was one of Perceptor's inventions; it would be used well against their synthetic foes.

"On my mark," said Mason, and then the lights of the Decepticon flared on, and the horn honked creating a blare that would get everyone's attentions for at least a mile away.

Mason fired the EMP grenade, it hit its mark, sticking on to the top of Bonecrusher. The creature roared and quickly changed to its other form, showing a savage face that imitated a predator's razor sharp teeth. The creature a "tail" made out of a crane, and had large fisticuffs with spikes on them , gleaming in the moonlight. The EMP grenade activated, and shocks rippled through the body of the Decepticon.

Bonecrusher roared and fell to the ground, its "muscles" doing spasms and writhing for a few seconds before going dead. "Restrain the bastard," said Mason, calling Harper and Bentley over. The two of them came running with their guns pointed downwards and they quickly got out some Energon cuffs.

Bonecrusher growled but they paid him no mind. Ironhide said, "Stay down Decepticon Punk, or I'll slag you myself."

"Go to Kaon, Autobot bitch," Bonecrusher retorted, illiciting a kick from Ironhide in the chest, "You are no warriors."

"Decepticons deceive," said Wipeout, who arrived on the scene, "What kind of warrior are you? To hide as a machine and strike when your opponent least expects it?"

"I am no frail Vehicon that served Megatron's every whim, treating him like a god," the creature spoke, "I am Bonecrusher, elite of the Pits. I fight my enemy and spear their spark in front of all to see!"

"I think this one talks too much," said Harper with a grin on his face, "Lets call in that EVAC."

"SSV Yorktown, do you copy," asked Mason.

"Witwicky here, you boys got the bastard?"

"Aye, come in slow and easy for a pick up. Don't wake the locals."

"Roger," responded the Flight Lieutenant, "What's that, three in the last six months?"

"Yeah, these guys are becoming pretty easy to find, not really as at Deception as their name might imply," said Mason.

"Optimus thinks that without Megatron , the stupid Decepticons don't have the smarts to do anything," said Cliffjumper, "Can't say I disagree with him."

They waited at the dig site for about fifteen minutes, making small talk, when the sharp outline of an Alliance frigate cut through the night. It made a low rumble, wind from the thrusters tossing about debris and sand. The Yorktown settled down and its loading bay door swung down for the Autobots to bring their package into the ship. A couple of human crewman brought a levitating sledge down, and the three Autobots heaved the Decepticon onto the sledge, clamping him down and then deactivating him with another EMP grenade. "That should hold him," said Ironhide.

"Aye," said Mason.

"Just another day at work," boasted Harper, "Lets hurry up, I want to get back to the Mckinley so I can play Pool and steel more of Sergeant Staffer's money."

"Aye," repeated Mason, "Come on Prescott , lets get out of here."

"That was too easy, sir."

"I agree," he contemplated, "But I won't complain, because I fear for the day when it gets harder."

And with that, Mason walked into the ship.

* * *

**Hope you guys Enjoyed this. More action to come. ~ Gehenna**


	4. Chapter 4

**Destiny's Crucible**

**II.**

* * *

"Commander Mason to CIC, Commander Mason to CIC," said Witwicky's voice over the comm.

Mason was in the shower, hot beads of water smattering his face and relaxing him. It was the Commander's privelige to get a hot shower, but now it was over. He turned it off and strode over to the dresser to pick out some casuals, a blue Alliance shirt and some black cotton pants. Then he went down to the CIC.

The CIC of the _Yorktown_ had been based off the design original _SSV Normandy_. In fact a lot of things about the _Yorktown_ were based off of the _Normandy_, even the design, but there were two critical differences. The first was that instead of the CIC being seperate from the crew deck, the crew deck was merely on the other side, with the CIC being a large circular room that indented into the floor of the ship. This eliminated a level, and the other difference was that the _Yorktown_ had six thrusters, that were connected in three pairs, being round in shape, while the _Normandy_ had four, rectangle shaped thrusters.

The CIC was packed with people running to and fro with business, and his yeoman was busy at her station, keeping tab on some of the more secretarial matters of the ship. She was an asian woman of medium height with very short hair that seemed almost boyish. She said crisply with a salute as Mason walked by, "Good to see you sir, I assume the mission was a success?"

"Like taking candy from a baby. Who needs me here Lee?"

"The Comms room needs you, sir, Admiral Hackett is calling you, along with someone named Codename Prometheus."

"Very good," Mason knew that Prometheus was the name given to Perceptor, the Scientist of the autobots. The other one, Shockwave, was called Cyclops.

Mason stepped into the small Comms alcove and stood in front of the hologram device, letting it scan him, a graph like pattern of blue squares scanning across his body and then just like that, Admiral Hackett appeared, and next to him the head of Perceptor.

"Admiral," said Mason, saluting, "Prometheus."

"Good job on Thessia," said Hackett, "I hear you took the thing down with barely a fight, and you managed to not alert any Asari."

"Thank you sir, but its all part of the job. How's the Space Bridge coming, Doc?"

"Very good," answered Perceptor ,"Commander Mason, we expect it will be done by the end of the month. Of course, nobody can give me a good projection on when the Reapers will actually arrive, but still a month is not a long time at all."

"Yes," added Hackett, "We are in the dark on that. Still, we'll know, and all we can do is hope we aren't too late. I've focused our fleets to have a more standing prescence in the Sol system just in case. Nobody but me and Anderson though believes there will even be an invasion, but they won't question me now, not with tempers flaring with the Batarians again."

Four weeks before, Commaner Shepard and the remnant of his crew had crashed an asteroid into a Mass Relay in the Bahak system, controlled by Batarians. Shepard was a human and even though he was working with Cerberus, the HSA needed to be on its guard in case the Batarians decided it was time to strike.

"Understood, sir. What do you need me to do now?"

"I'd like to give you and your team a small break, considering what's coming eventually. But, we have a major problem. Perceptor, if you will."

"Of course Admiral," Perceptor said, bringing up a grapefruit sized orb, "This is one of the Energon Seekers that I built. I built a hundred of them, and so far they have been the source of how we have been finding the Decepticons, and some of the Autobots. One of these orbs, found its way to a system , your people called Digeris."

"A Turian world," added Mason, "And a Turian colony is just code for one big military base."

"Aye," said Hackett.

"The Orb went dark, and according to a Turian news channel running on Palaven, a military base was attacked by an unknown aggressor. One can put two and two together. It must be a Decepticon, or possibly one of my more hostile, and more easy to confuse counterparts. Warpath for one, or maybe Flashpoint. Either way, as your Admiral has informed me, if the Turians learn of the truth, well that would not be good."

"Commander, we have so far kept the truth about the Transformers from the entire galaxy. If they were to find out we were harboring political exiles and taking their technologies, and allowing them to commit acts of war on the Citadel Council's own planets, and to top all of that, promising them land that isn't ours to give...there'll be hell to pay."

"I understand completely sir," said Mason. Shit just got real, he thought.

"You need to get there, and if its Autobot, you need to get them to stand down, and if its Decepticon, you slag the bastard and get out of there before anybody realizes what it really was. The only advantage we have is that the Turians are as secretive as we are. They can cover this up, blame it on pirates or call it an exercise. But they won't be able to cover it up , if they catch a human. So, utmost secrecy is a priority here."

"Yes, sir, we'll get it done."

"Good," said Hackett tiredly, "We can't risk starting more conflict right before the Reapers invade."

With that, Hackett and Perceptor disappeared. Mason sighed to himself and said, "Great, just great."

As he left the Comms room he walked into the main CIC to see Mary waiting there. She stated simply, "We got another mission chief?"

"Aye," was all he said.

"You gonna tell me or do I have to figure it out on my own?"

Mason let slip a slight grin, "Maybe we can make it a game."

"I like games," she said, "But I hate to lose."

"Well, then you better give in your all. We're going down to a Turian planet and we can't let them find us. The stakes are higher this time around."

She nodded and said as they walked into the elevator to get downstairs, "I always liked challenges."

Mason said nothing as he looked her over, thinking to himself, _I could give you one._


End file.
